Shahi Paneer

Shahi Paneer is a rich, creamy gravy made of fresh cream, Milk, onion and tomatoes. Shahi means 'Royal' and so is the taste of this gravy. Paneer is an Indian Cottage Cheese. This is a very popular paneer recipe especially in North India. Shahi Paneer pairs very well with roti, naan, bread or flavoured rice. 

 

I always make palak paneer or paneer butter masala or mutter paneer. This is the first time I tried Shahi Paneer and it tasted awesome with roti. I followed recipe from Hamaree Rasoi and it worked perfectly for me. I am looking forward to try many more Bengali recipes from Hamaree Rasoi.

 

I used homemade paneer for this recipe. You can use store bought ones. I make paneer at home when I have excess milk. Homemade paneer tastes better than the store bought ones. It is very soft and creamier.

 

 

 Recipe Source : http://www.hamareerasoi.com/2011/04/restaurant-style-shahi-paneer-cottage.html

Ingredients

• 200 Grams of Paneer ( I used home made paneer, so it is not perfect cubes)
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Small Tomato
• 1 Inch Fresh Ginger
• 6 Garlic cloves
• 1 Green Chilli
• 10 Cashew Nuts
• 1 Tablespoon Curd / Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Cream
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Kasuri Methi
• 1 and 1/2 Cups Milk
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 1 Tablespoon chopped Cilantro leaves
• Salt as required
• 3 Tablespoon Oil

Directions

Preparation : 

1. Chop onion in to big chunks and grind it to fine paste
2. Chop and puree tomato
3. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilli together to fine paste with 1 Teaspoon of water
4. Soak cashew nuts in 1/4 Cup warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and then grind it to fine paste with 1 teaspoon of water

                             

5. Cut paneer in to big cubes. Sprinkle salt and turmeric on the paneer cubes. In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add paneer cubes and fry them until they turn light brown. Change side and fry on the other side. Fry paneer cubes in batches of 3 or 4. Add the fried paneer cubes to 1/2 cup warm milk and set aside

                                      

 

Directions

1. In a wide pan over Medium heat, add 2 Tablespoon of Oil. When the oil is hot, add bay leaf, green cardamom, black cardamom
2. Immediately add onion paste and sauté for 2 min
3. Then add ginger garlic green chilli paste and sauté till oil leaves from the mixture
4. Now add cashew nut paste and sauté nicely for 2 to 3 minutes
5. Add salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and stir everything together
6. Add tomato paste and cook till oil starts leaving from the mixture
7. Add 1 tablespoon thick curd and using a whisk , stir the curd continuously until it is well blended in the masala. If you do not whisk it continuously , the curd will get curdled and the gravy will be look grainy , it will not be smooth
8. Then add 1 tablespoon fresh cream and whisk again
9. Add 1 cup milk along with 1/2 milk & paneer. Let is cook on medium flame for 8 minutes
10. Finally add garam masala and kasuri methi and cook for 2 minutes more.
11. Switch off flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves
12. Serve hot with flavoured rice or flat bread